No Safe Place
by BabySpeed
Summary: you always said if i needed you, I only had to find you...Right?” When a girl shows up from Vince’s teen years, can he help her or will it prove to be the worst decision she could have made?
1. Help wanted, Apply within

Title:

Disclaimer: I don't any of the characters from "The Fast and the Furious." I only hold right's over my own character(s) who appear in this fic.

Summary: "...you always said if i needed you, I only had to find you...Right?" When a girl shows up from Vince's teen years, can he help her or will it prove to be the worst decision she could have made?

Please: Read and Review! Share any ideas or thoughts. I have a good idea of where this story is going but input is always considered.

A/N. The Fic is set before the first movie.

* * *

It'd been a pretty quiet day in the D.T garage and the team were fairly fed up. Jesse had spent the last two hours driving everyone crazy, playing random music but never listening past the chorus. Some of the stuff was getting pretty ridiculous and when he finally flipped it too "Greased Lightning", Vince had had enough.

"Jess, man, you're making my ear's bleed!" he cried over the beat of the "song"

Leon laughed from the other side of the garage, swinging a torque wrench in his hand

"Go greased lightning, your burning up the quarter mile..." He was tone deaf and although even Dominic couldn't hold back a grin, he knew Vince would seriously lose it if Jesse's trip down musical memory lane didn't come to an end. Fast.

"Yo, Jess, Seriously dude, cats are gonna start joining in..."Dom trailed off, and Vince shot a look at him that clearly said _"Was that supposed to help?"_

"What's happenin'" By Ying Yang and Trick Daddy replaced the soundtrack and although it wasn't Vince's first choice, he rolled his eyes, and went back to flipping through the car magazine in front of him.

Dom watched him from the couch at the back where he was attempting to sort through the crap Mia usually did, mentally cursing himself for pissing both Letty and Mia off that morning. They'd headed to the mall, simply to get one up. He knew it damned well too, because if there was one thing Letty hated, it was the mall. But, off she'd went with Mia, Leaving Dom, and the rest of the boy's, completely speechless that she'd put herself through that, simply to prove a point.

His eyes stared at Vince's back for a good 5 or 6 minutes. Dom knew he was looking at the magazine, but he wasn't really reading it. Something was off, and he couldn't pin-point what it was. Getting up, He casually went to where Vince was standing, careful not to draw attention to the fact he was doing so, as Leon and Jesse mucked about with a basketball.

"You ok, Bro?" Dom asked

"Yea man, why?" Vince asked, but Dom could tell just by the way he replied, that something was up, and he wasn't gonna give easily. Vince wouldn't have with him, he was just returning the favour.

"You suck at lying man" Dom said, keeping his voice low, but catching the basketball Jesse had aimed at him. He threw at the hoop and it dropped through as Vince sighed and let his head drop.

"Out with it V, This suspense thing really isn't working for me..."

"...You remember that chick that used to stay in the crib right at the corner of our street?"

Dom looked at him with a look that said "_Dude....What one?"._ Vince tried hard to hold back a smile, but he quickly regained composure, as he remembered why they were on the topic on the girl who stayed in the house on the corner, way back when.

"Come on D, We're talking back when we were 15 here, Y'know that one Letty _didn't_ hate on cause she was the one girl you couldn't impress?"

"Ellis Carter." Dom said, shaking his head, grinning, "Girl had it for you _bad _yet you just wouldn't go there."

"Ok, before we start taking a trip down memory lane...Yea, Ellis. She's back man. And she's in shit...Bro....I need some help"

Dom looked round at Vince. He'd never once known Vince to actually utter those words. But, there they were. Hanging in the silence between them, like they'd broken some sort of code. Vince took a second before meeting his eyes and for the first time since Dom could remember, he looked scared. And he didn't like it. Vince was never scared of anyone or anybody. Never had been, not even when things had gotten bad in his own house growing up, not back in high school...Hell not even in the god damned third grade. The look passed quickly and Dom didn't know whether Vince was scared of Ellis or the crap she'd brought with her. Vince stared straight at Dom, impressed. If he was shocked by what he'd just said, he hadn't shown it. His face stayed completely straight, dark eyes peircing straight through his own. _"Cutting through the bullshit"_ Vince thought, almost bitterly.

"V, you don't need to ask for help, not from me, not from the team." Dom replied

"Bro... I made her a promise before she left and I can't let her down...But this... This is way above anything I've ever dealt with"

"Enough drivin' round the issue V, Get to the finish line"

"Don't say I didn't warn you man."

Vince sighed and looked round to the main court yard in front of the garage, to make sure both Jesse and Leon were out of ear-shot. He didn't wanna drag the whole team into this before he had to, but he'd been dealing with Ellis on his own for nearing a week and he was getting un-nerved. He hadn't wanted to involve the team, god knew they had enough going on between then, without adding to the mix. But, the way she was acting was enough to scare the crap out of him, and he knew he had to do something before she hurt herself or something came for her. He couldn't live with that, not knowing he could have done something...anything to help her. She'd come to him for a reason. A reason HE'D given her, albeit nearly eight years prior. Shaking his head, he turned back and looked at Dom, who was staring at him, waiting for the story that was about to come out. He met his eyes and hoped to god Dom had an answer, because he was lost. And he really didn't like the feeling. Girl always did have a way of throwing him, and everything around him, off balance.

"She showed up about a week ago...."


	2. Fear, My Name Is

Title: No Safe Place

Disclaimer: I don't any of the characters from "The Fast and the Furious." I only hold right's over my own character(s) that appear in this fic.

Summary: "...you always said if i needed you, I only had to find you...Right?" When a girl shows up from Vince's teen years, can he help her or will it prove to be the worst decision she could have made?

Please: Read and Review! Share any ideas or thoughts. I have a good idea of where this story is going but input is always considered.

A/ N. The Fic is set before the first movie.

**Sorry for taking so long with the update you lovely reviewers, but I've just had my baby =). Hope you enjoy chapter 2. X **

_One Week Previous…._

Race Night. The one night you could be guaranteed mayhem in the Toretto household. Mia was shouting at Leon, who was in the bathroom, oblivious to the faces he was pulling behind the closed door. Letty had some sort of Spanish hip-hop song blaring so loudly, the walls and floors of the house were pulsing. Dom had his head under the hood of his car, Jesse by his side, tweaking and checking every inch of the engine.

Vince pulled a dark t-shirt over his head and glanced in the mirror, running a hand coated in hair gel through his hair. He wiped his hand on the white towel and left it lying on the floor outside his room as he made his way to the front door

"Damnit Vince, How many times…" Mia cried, momentarily forgetting about the bathroom. She leaned down to pick up the towel just as Leon opened the bathroom door. Vince didn't answer, but the door closing behind him was answer enough for her.

"Geez Mia, If I'd known you were gonna be bending over, I'd have at least bought you dinner first…" Leon said, smirk on his face as he leaned against the doorframe. Mia rolled her eyes and straightened up, before turning round and heading to the now open bathroom door, she handed Leon the towel Vince had discarded before looking up at him, and smiling.

"In your dreams, Le. Keep your sick, perverted fantasies to yourself" He grinned in response and Mia sighed, rolling her eyes once more and gently shoved him off the doorframe, stepping into the bathroom and kicking the door shut behind her. Less than an hour later, which was quick for Mia, they were pulling up at the usual spot in the usual V formation they'd perfected. It was never practiced, it just happened. It made sense really, just cemented what they all knew…They had each other's backs, no matter what, where or when.

"And Finally, The King arrives…Took your sweet-ass time, Brother!" Edwin said, greeting Dom with the usual guy hug. Dom grinned before getting down to business.

On the side lines, someone couldn't help but let out a small smile. The brown haired, green eyed girl knew them, maybe not well, but the pretty female knew them all the same. Those green eyes however weren't fixed on Dominic Toretto, King of the Streets. No. Her piercing stare was locked on Vince. She made no attempt to move, staying close to the shadows, out of sight. The road was buzzing with the sounds of exhausts, engines, people, and various styles of music, all blaring at different levels, creating their own special kind of music. It was electric, but she knew she couldn't lose track of Vince. He was her last hope, and all she could do was pray to god he remembered her, remembered what he'd promised and pray_** HE **_wouldn't find her before she knew what to do. Just seeing him made her feel safe, and couldn't help but hug her arms to herself wishing that she'd never left, that she hadn't been drawn to New York in the first place. She waited until most of the crowd had dispersed, Making sure that there was still enough people around her to make her feel like she wouldn't be noticed and that Dom and the others had left the start line. She kept her eye on Vince as she wound her way through the people dancing, talking about various cars, the guys with their heads under the hoods of cars and prayed she'd make it to him before anyone else got hold of him. She had to do this while she still had the strength, before _**HE**_ showed up, like he always did. The thought alone was enough to have checking over her shoulder, even though she knew he wasn't there.

"_Please Vince…Please remember…" _

She stood behind him and took a deep breath, before putting a hand on his back. Vince turned his head before speaking, and the rest of his body followed it round.

"You're mama never teach you to keep your hands to yourself?"

She tried to force a smile off her face, but she couldn't. Vince stood still, taking in who was now standing in front of him. He wouldn't have known her, but those eyes…Damn. He could never forget. Those piercing green eyes that seemed to break through his own. He tried to find his voice but all he could do was stare at her. It'd been a long time since he'd saw those eyes looking back.

"Ellis?.." she nodded, a small smile playing on her lips as he choked out the words "Damn girl..." he said as his eyes trailed over her, from feet right back up.

"Hey Vinnie"

"…Don't start with that, I was just starting to forget" he grinned

Ellis didn't have a reply. If she was honest, didn't want or need the small talk right now, they'd have plenty time to go through the motions. The brown haired beauty tried to bite back the story that was threatening to spill off her tongue and in response, her eyes filled with unshed tears, sparkling in the light from the street lamps. Here, standing in front of Vince in downtown L.A, was the safest Ellis Carter had felt for weeks. She fought the urge to look over her shoulder again. God knew she had lost count of how many times she'd done so. It was fast becoming second nature, just like living in the dark.

"Hey baby girl what's wrong?" Vince said, trying to sound gentle. He wasn't good with tears, didn't deal well with crying females. If his voice was strained, Ellis didn't let on

She closed her eyes slowly and held her hand to her mouth, before looking up at him as a tear streaked its way down her cheek. She'd been determined not to cry. Not to come across as the victimized female, but all her resolve disappeared. She was scared, and again fought the urge to look over her shoulder, still feeling the same, now familiar tingle at the back of her neck. If _**HE **_had somehow caught up with her the last thing she wanted was to have the next "message" say that _**he'd **_seen her breakdown. Ellis Carter hadn't once shown emotion in the last 8 weeks, and couldn't believe she'd let herself give in to fear.

"…Ellis?"

"...you always said if i needed you, I only had to find you...Right?" She whispered

Vince's back went straight. He wasn't sure what he'd been expecting the smaller woman to say, but it sure as hell wasn't that. He knew if she'd came looking for him, something was wrong, really wrong. She'd moved to New York one summer, and he'd uttered those words before she had turned, and run to the end of the street and disappeared in her parent's car. Vince remembered that day, it had rained for hours. By the time he'd watch the car leave the street, and walked back into the house passed Dom and Letty, he was soaked through. It seemed like a lifetime ago but those words were still crystal clear.

"_I'll always be here. If ever need me El, All you have to do is come find me, ok?"_

"I…Ellis that was a long time ago…" Vince started

The words he said hit her like a ton of bricks. The last hope was gone. Where could she turn now? She'd wished so hard that he'd help, she hadn't considered what the next step would be if Vince turned his back. Hadn't allowed herself to think that far ahead, or take it on board. She looked everywhere but directly at him and started to back away, wiping her eyes, Ellis turned and took two steps before Vince grabbed her arm

"..That…Came out wrong…I just…You threw me a little"

"I'm sorry…Look just forget you saw me here tonight, really it's ok"

"Obviously it's _not_"

"I shouldn't have come here"

"Ellis…You came back here for help, Let me help you"

"I…can't Vinnie, He'll find me. Please, just forget" The tears were starting again

"Who's he?" Vince still had a hold of her arm, but at the mention of this "He" character; he saw the fear in her bloodshot, tear filled eyes.

"Has someone hurt you?!" Anger was kicking in. The thought of some guy laying his hands on her was enraging to him. Ellis was still trying to pull away from him, but he kept his grip.

"…No…V, it's complicated…He just…I don't want him to find me! And he always does!" Tears were replaced by all out sobs as she finally gave up fighting and gripped his arms hard

"Who'll find you? Ellis, What's going on?!" The last thing he wanted to do was shout, but she was freaking him out, but she wasn't taking anything in

"…He'll come here Vinnie. _**HIM**_. He always knows where I am!!"

"Ellis" He said firmly and he forced her to look at him "Who's _**HIM**_?!!"

"John. John Hoxton"

"…And who's he?" Vince was still staring at her, but she hung her head and was crying quietly

"He's stalking me Vinnie. He's coming for me…He'll find me, just like he always does." She repeated her earlier words.

Something told Vince that this wasn't a regular clingy ex boyfriend deal. Ellis was genuinely terrified, and he didn't like the feeling.


End file.
